Hi all - new to the board - not actually "new" - been lingering for hours at a time reading and looking at pictures, watching MANY tutorials, etc - but first time posting.

I'm a new quilter and have SO much to learn. I saw on a tutorial once how you use a piece of scrap material before you actually sew your seams. For the life of me I can't find it again. Can someone help me - I wanted to know how large a scrap you use and when your using a 1/4 inch foot and can't move your stitching line over - do you just keep sewing over that same stitching over and over. I realize there three other sides to stitch on but it still builds up quickly.

Thanks for any help!

Some folks cut lots and lots of little squares to keep at their machines. Pick up two that look good together and use them as starters and enders. After some time, you start sewing pairs of the twos together as starters and enders. Eventually, you will have enough little blocks to make a cute little scrap quilt without ever noticing it.

Try this thread it has some great ideas.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-7862-1.htm

I keep a small plastic bowl in my top drawer and put small scraps in it. I use these to begin new seams. Just fold a small piece, start sewing and continue onto your project. I don't reuse my starters and enders. Never thought of it. May try.

I reuse starters until the threads drive me crazy. I never saw too much use for enders. I guess that is because I habitually cut the thread at the end? I don't know. Starters are now impossible to do without.

Jois

I just fold over a scrap and start sewing in the middle of it so I can grip it to move it (and all tho thread ends) off behind the feed dogs. Saves so much frustration with rat's nests!

A starter (most call them a Thread Bunny) will stop the start of the seam from having a missing stitch or two. I'm bad about that and the seam will always pull apart when trying to match up to another.

Thanks for all your input. How big a scrap do you use? I have started doing this a couple weeks ago and love not having to bother at the start to pull my thread to a decent length or worry aout the needle sucking up the thread and having to rethread and putting the scrap in so that I'm ready to go again a the snap of a finger. I just wonder if I'm using too large a scrap and therefore wasting just as much thread as I thought I was saving - LOL! I think that when I use to small a scrap that it is hard to get to when I want to cut it off after just a small piece that I'm sewing. Just last night I did discover that using my seam ripper and reaching behind to cut seemed to work better.

I've learned so much from all of you experience quilters. Thanks a lot.

I made my first projects, a table runner, then a wall hanging and then a scrappy denim/flannel quilt (although I don't really consider that quilting).

here is a tute I did on this. I use the small scraps that I are too small to save... usually 1/2 strips that I fold in half... I use them until they get to hairy with threads or to thick to easily sew over.
Check out the part of the tute, where I show how to use blocks instead of scraps too :wink: You can use any size blocks for this, I just showed the smaller ones I was currently working with, I have used 6" ones also :D:D:D

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-38684-1.htm

Ofcourse these are all quilting!!! small or large, they are all in the quilting category. Even scrappy denim/flannel quilts!!! :D:D:D